A group, Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum, has urged Nigerians to dedicate the nation's independence to sober reflections instead of rolling out the drums for a celebration.

In a statement by its General Secretary, Akin Malaolu, the group advised Nigerians to join forces with the progressives to wrest power from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which the forum said had brought more pains than relief to the nation in its 14 years of political leadership.

The forum said it had gone round the Southwest and other Yoruba-speaking parts of Kwara, Edo and Kogi states to feel the people's pulse about political leadership.

It said tales of starvation, insecurity and disappeared incomes from the people showed that the Goodluck Jonathan administration had lost touch with the masses.

Yoruba Ronu noted that if the progressive governors in the Southwest had not performed well, there would have been massive uprising on the land.

The statement reads: "The crises that have engulfed the PDP are inevitable. President Jonathan's pitiable performance in office and the corrupt ring of friends around him dictate that he should thank God for his personal good fortunes. But he must know that Nigerians deserve better governance.